Kifco Drive Systems
Kifco Water-Reels are an automatic form of portable irrigation which use one of four Drive Options to turn the Reel and retract the Gun Cart (Sprinkler) back to the machine where it automatically turns off. B-Series Water Reels can be equipped with either a Turbine, Bellows, Electric Motor or a Gas Engine Drive. Ag-Rain Water Reels can be equipped with either a Turbine or a Gas Engine Drive.
Turbine Drive
All Ag-Rain and B-Series Water Reels with tube diameter of 1.8” and larger utilize the Turbine Drive. The Kifco turbines are the most efficient turbine drive in the industry (10 PSI or less pressure used in the turbine) and are a reliable, efficient and highly adjustable drive option. Kifco impellers are precision machined from aluminum or composite material for longevity and resistance to corrosion.
Bellows Drive
Kifco utilizes the highly efficient bellows drive mechanism in Models B110 and B140. The bellows drive is capable of retraction without consuming any pressure in the process. This allows 100% of the pressure provided at the machine to be available for irrigation rather than used or consumed by the drive mechanism. This is the preferred drive for machines that tend to operate at low pressure and flows (small diameter models). The bellows drive discharges and dissipates a small quantity of water used in the retraction.
Electric Motor Drive
The Kifco B-Series E110 is the only Water-Reel to utilize the Electric Motor Drive option. The E110 can irrigate from almost any residential water source (5gpm and 23 PSI) because of the simplicity of the electric drive. The motor is powered by a 12V rechargeable battery with a run life of approximately 30 hours. This allows users to irrigate using a low quality water sources without a booster pump.
Gas Engine Drive
The gas engine drive option is primarily used for applications where solids (animal waste or fibrous materials) are present in the water. It is also used in applications where the customer requires high speed irrigation or has limited water pressure and cannot afford pressure loss in the turbine.
Engine vs. Turbine Drive Systems
There are three circumstances that usually dictate the need for engine driven Water-Reels instead of turbine driven Water-Reels.
High Travel Speeds. An engine driven model should be used if high travel speeds are needed for light applications (0.3 inches of water or less). Engine driven travelers are capable of speeds two times that of turbine drives.
Slurry Application. If the Water-Reel is applying slurry or any substance that contains significant solids, an engine driven model should be used. Usage of a turbine driven model in a slurry application is limited due to the size of particles that can pass through a turbine motor.
Marginal Water Pressure. If the pressure of the water is marginal it may be wise to choose an engine driven machine. The turbine driven system will take approximately 6psi to 10 psi to power the turbine depending on the speed of travel. This additional pressure at the sprinkler may be critical.
When these three factors are not involved, the turbine driven models are the best choice.
The turbine requires less service and attention than the engines. Most operators prefer the operating simplicity of a turbine. There are no oil changes, no gas tanks to fill, and no engines to start. With a turbine driven model, when the pump runs, the turbine runs. When the pump stops; the turbine stops.